In the ongoing campaign to revamp Shorewood’s sewer system, village officials have awarded more than $550,000 in contracts on Monday to finish North Downer Avenue sewer work and conduct maintenance of other lines.

Officials recently approved bidding out $4.4 million in sewer projects to start this summer in the western portion of the village, but actually started major sewer improvements last summer on North Downer Avenue and surrounding streets and roads.

The $2.4 million project was coordinated with already scheduled surface road upgrades, but some of the work wasn't able to be bid out, with officials citing timing issues and the understanding they would rebid for work this summer. 

On Monday, trustees awarded a $294,492 contract to Milwaukee-based firm MJ Construction to perform improvements in the 2600 block of East Jarvis Street and the 3900 block of North Ridgefield Circle.

Wisconsin-based DAAR Engineering provided inspection work during the construction last summer, and will do the same work this summer for the upgrades on Jarvis Street and Ridgefield Circle. Officials are amending a $243,000 contract awarded last summer to add $36,029 for the new work.

Officials also approved a contract with Illinois-based engineering firm Clark Dietz for $2,250 to conduct survey work for the summer construction.

Additionally, Shorewood officials awarded a $223,185 contract to Pewaukee-based Visu-Sewer Inc., to perform sanitary sewer-lining projects. The work is funded through the village’s sewer utility and is under the $300,000 budgeted for lining projects. Lining helps prevent leaks and keep storm water from getting into sanitary sewer pipes.

"By time we finish the 2014 program, all of the sanitary lines west of Oakland will have been re-lined," Trustee Jeff Hanewall said.